Affordable Reliable Lightweight Carbine

[justin_247]

... With all the trash-talk lately about PSA ...

The PSA "trash talk" is completely legitimate.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nupt3c-tQbw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0-F2gWqSdog

If this is your first rifle and perhaps only rifle, the only sensible decision is to purchase from a good company that doesn't have a history of QC problems.

[L-2]

I'm going to summarize my brief AR15 experience(s) here. Any firearm might have QC issues, but it may be by choosing a good company and spending more, problems and down-time might be mitigated.

I also thought to budget myself when I bought my first AR15 and went with a Springfield-Armory "Saint". It was just under $1000 out the door. It had some features I heard were the way-to-go: MLOK full length handguard, mid-length gas system, came with good Bravo Company stock & grip, and included good back-up iron sights.

It took me 2 years to get through 4,000 rounds. During this time I experienced ~1.5% primer blowouts and case rims ripped off. I thought it was just bad ammo. If I only shot .223 instead of 5.56mm, I may never had noticed. Blowing out primers can totally disable an AR15 (transition to handgun time).

At that 2 year mark, I contacted Springfield-Armory and they had me send the rifle back. ~1.5 months later, they repaired the rifle (talked about in a thread somewhere in M4Carbine.net) by reaming the chamber and replacing the bold carrier group. I think many folks would have just switched to shooting .223 only or never have gotten to this round count.

Going back to ~year 2000, my first issued AR15 was a brand-new Colt. I only had this gun for less than a day as it was immediately chewing up the bolt's gas rings. The department Range Master determined there was some kind of burr in the bolt carrier and then issued me a previously-issued Colt, but with a proven reliable track record.

That 2nd Colt later had a failure when the stock loosened while constantly being shaken in a patrol SUV; resulting in some parts getting lost. I think the parts were some safety/selector switch detent parts, as I recall.

On my 2nd personally-bought AR15 I bought a Bravo Company AR pistol which so far has proven 100% reliable, but of course at additional initial cost out-the-door.

For me, I'd now rather go with a less-mass-produced AR15. Should I buy a 3rd AR15, I'm thinking of a Daniel Defense, another Bravo Company (aka BCM), or maybe try a much-talked-about-here Sons of Liberty Gun Works (aka SOLGW).

[Hammer_Man]

I would recommend buying the most rifle you can for $1k, and purchasing the accessories later. Being that Colts are not available right now, I would recommend a basic Sionics, SOLGW, or maybe BCM. All three can be had near $1k, and would be good enough to bet your life on. Learn to shoot with your iron sights, and save up for an Aimpoint PRO.

[boss_hawg]

The PSA "trash talk" is completely legitimate.

That may be so but I have not had any issues with their premium uppers. I do not have first hand experience with the other offerings (freedom, ptac, etc.) so I am not going to speak one way or another on those.

I think it’s a moot point anyway as the $650 complete rifle deal is OoS as of last night.

[opngrnd]

I would recommend buying the most rifle you can for $1k, and purchasing the accessories later. Being that Colts are not available right now, I would recommend a basic Sionics, SOLGW, or maybe BCM. All three can be had near $1k, and would be good enough to bet your life on. Learn to shoot with your iron sights, and save up for an Aimpoint PRO.

I second this.

[L-2]

Mossberg's AR-15, the "MMR", seems to now be gone from Mossberg's website after 3 or 4 years. I'm not recommending this brand, nor discouraging it either, as I've no experience with it at all. I didn't want to start a new thread just for this brand which probably didn't sell well in this market, but thought this current thread was as good a place as any to mention it. I haven't yet done a search here and apologize in advance if it's old news to everybody else already.

[Hank6046]

So I remember being in your position 8 or so years ago and when I asked what can I get that's amazing for cheap, I was honestly told some of the best advice, you can't. Now I am by no means telling you that they're aren't ways and means of doing things that can fit your price range, instead, if you want 1 rifle, from 1 company, I would wait and have about $1500 for a rifle and another $200 for irons, sling and a light, and then invest another $500 (as of a month ago at least) in ammo. That said I would do the following.
BCM Upper with an Aero Lower. Seriously approximately $600-$900 for a decent rifle I would trust my life with and can handle a beating.
I would also second Sionics, SOLGW, PWS and a few others that seem to escape me.

[vicious_cb]

Are people really gonna recommend a f***ing PSA during a flugaloo? This advice is not only stupid, its irresponsible, potentially putting people at risk that take this retarded advice.

This just ticks me off, "its a great deal, derp, but you might need to troubleshoot and fix it if anyone goes wrong." He sure gonna have an easy time troubleshooting and fixing his gun during a lock down. How many monkeys at PSA are gonna be at work to take your RMA I wonder?

PSA tards really to need to go in a hole somewhere until this all blows over.

Find a legit a Colt, LMT, or BCM. SOLGW makes good guns but their wait times might be too long before a lockdown hits, make sure whatever you order is in stock ready to ship.

[26 Inf]

Maybe this is asking too much but what would you recommend for an affordable, lightweight, and reliable carbine for the purpose of HD and training? All that's going on it will be a sling, light and maybe red dot. Hope ya'll are staying healthy. Thanks.

Edit: Would like to try and keep the entire build under a grand.

Staying healthy so far, thanks.

Hear you go, assuming you don't have a bunch of ar specific tools:

LaRue Ultimate Upper - with 16" PredatAR barrel for lightest weight option (792.00) https://www.larue.com/products/larue...-15-upper-kit/ (look at what the kit contains - everything but the stripped lower)

Aero Precision GEN 2 stripped lower (72.99) https://aimsurplus.com/aero-precisio...ower-receiver/

B5 Systems Trigger Guard (7.95) https://aimsurplus.com/b5-systems-tr...polymer-black/

Total price - $872.94 (plus shipping) and your gonna love the way it shoots.

My LaRue 6.5 Grendel weights 9.4 with a Leupold 3.5x10 Vari-X mounted - it has the heavier 18" 6.5G barrel and the LaRue Billet lower, pretty sure with the lighter 5.56 PredatAR barrel and Aero forged lower, you'd be close to the 7.1 LaRue quotes for their complete PredatAR rifle.

Good luck.

https://www.larue.com/products/larue...-15-upper-kit/

[JediGuy]

26, do you use the Tranquilo brake and furniture?
How do you like the upper-handguard connection?

I don’t have plans to purchase, but this is something I’ve been looking at for a friend who will be buying soon.